A polyurethane‐based nanocomposite biocompatible bone adhesive

A novel polyurethane‐based foam‐like adhesive reinforced with nanosized hydroxyapatite (HA) particles was developed and investigated for bone‐to‐bone bonding applications in terms of mechanical adhesion and biocompatibility. The adhesive has a hierarchical structure with HA particles at the nanoscale level and pores at the micro‐scale level. This adhesive was tested mechanically in the three principal loading modes anticipated: shear, tension, and compression. Standard testing procedures were used when available. Tensile strength of primed adhesive showed a four‐fold increase in adhesion on unmodified bone and a nearly two‐fold increase in adhesion to primed bone as compared with the conventional bone cement. Biocompatibility was initially assessed in vitro using cell culture tests, which showed positive interaction with the adhesive. Then, a second biocompatibility test was performed using Xenopus laevis limbs to assess an in vivo response. The results indicated that the adhesive material produces a normal response consistent with control specimens. However, long‐term observations and tests with additional species are needed to demonstrate full biocompatibility. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2013     

Mid-infrared spectroscopy as a tool for rapid determination of internal quality parameters in tomato

The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of predicting the quality parameters of tomato by mid-infrared spectroscopy. For 2 years, tomato samples, representing a large variability in the chemical composition, were scanned using the attenuated total reflectance accessory of a Fourier transform spectrometer in the wavenumber region between 4000 and 400 cm⁻¹_. Calibration models were developed using partial least squares (PLS) regression method and were tested with internal validation sample set in the first year. Different spectral preprocessing techniques were investigated and different spectral regions were selected to optimise the calibration models. In addition, the models obtained in 2007 were used to predict the soluble solids, dry matter and total acidity in tomato harvested in 2008.     

Differences in content and composition of free lipids and carotenoids in flour of spring and winter wheat cultivated in Poland

The work presents the content and composition of free lipids and carotenoids in spring and winter classes of wheat flour. It discusses genetical and physiological aspects of their synthesis and accumulation in wheat kernels and also indicates how methodological differences explain differences in results presented in the literature. It has been reported that spring wheat flours are richer in free lipids, especially in the non-polar fraction. The content of glycolipids ranged from 134 to 215 mg/100 g flour and was more stable within the winter wheat class. The percentages of the two main fractions, namely DGDG and MGDG, were similar in both wheat classes and reached ca. 77%. Phospholipids constituted the smallest fraction of the flour free lipids in both wheat classes; however, spring wheat flours were richer in these compounds, which is likely associated with a greater content of spherosomes in the endosperm of this wheat class. The free lipids of spring wheat flour contained more oleic and slightly less linoleic and linolenic acids. Spring wheat flour was also richer in carotenoids, although there were varieties in both classes that deviated from this. The main carotenoid was lutein, whose total percentage in the form of different isomers ranged from 71.3% to 83.3% and was slightly lower for spring wheat flour. Lutein, in the form of a trans-isomer, constituted about 62% and 70% of all carotenoids in spring and winter wheat flours, respectively.     

Analysis of the intake of sodium with cereal products by the population of Poland

The study aimed to analyse the intake of Na with cereal products by the population of Poland. In addition, based on available literature, changes in the content of Na in bread sold in the Polish market from 2009 to 2018 were analysed with regard to Na intake reduction campaigns held in Poland since 2009 popularising information about the adverse effect of sodium on the human cardiovascular system. The results led to the conclusion that the analysed products contained 3.042 ± 3.4 g of Na per 1 kg of fresh product. The content of Na in the analysed products was bread > bread rolls > grains > pasta > rice. Cereal products provide 48.3 % of an adult’s intake of Na, where as much as 48.2 % is covered by bread, with only 0.04 % by grains, 0.04 % by pasta, and 0.01 % by rice. According to information available in reference literature from 2009–2017 the content of Na in baked goods has not been subject to significant modifications. In Poland, with regard to an excessive consumption of Na, efficient strategies must be developed to increase the awareness of consumers and to reduce the use of table salt in the most popular products, and in particular in baked goods. One of the ways to reduce the intake of Na would be consumers’ selection of an adequate range of foodstuffs naturally poor in this element or having its content reduced by means of a suitable technology. This can be a significant component of practices preventing the development of hypertension. However, the fact that information about the content of Na in cereal products is often missing from product labels makes consumer choice difficult.     

Multiscale modeling of elastic properties of cortical bone

We model cortical bone as a composite material with hierarchical structure. At a nanostructural level, bone is composed of cross-linked collagen molecules, containing water and non-collagenous proteins in their gaps, reinforced with hydroxyapatite-like nanocrystals. Such a nanocomposite structure represents a mineralized collagen fibril, which serves as a primary building block of bone. At a sub-microstructural level (few microns), the mineralized collagen fibrils are embedded in an extrafibrillar hydroxyapatite matrix to form a single lamella, which also contains the lacunar cavities. At a microstructural level (hundreds of microns) one can distinguish two lamellar structures in the mature cortical bone: osteons, made of concentric layers of lamellae surrounding long hollow Haversian canals, and interstitial lamellae made of remnants of old osteons. At a mesostructural level (several millimeters), the cortical bone is represented by a random collection of osteons and resorption cavities in the interstitial lamellae. A macrostructural level is the whole bone level containing both the cortical (compact) and trabecular (spongy) bone types. In this paper, we predict analytically the effective elastic constants of cortical bone by modeling its elastic response at these different scales, spanning from the nanostructural to mesostructural levels, using micromechanics methods and composite materials laminate theories. The results obtained at a lower scale serve as inputs for the modeling at a higher scale. The predictions are in good agreement with the experimental data reported in literature.     

Tracing enteric viruses in the European berry fruit supply chain

In recent years, numerous foodborne outbreaks due to consumption of berry fruit contaminated by human enteric viruses have been reported. This European multinational study investigated possible contamination routes by monitoring the entire food chain for a panel of human and animal enteric viruses.     

Recommendation of RILEM Technical Committee 250-CSM: Test method for Textile Reinforced Mortar to substrate bond characterization

Textile Reinforced Mortar (TRM), also known as Fabric Reinforced Mortar or Fabric Reinforced Cementitious Matrix, composites are an emerging technology for the external repair and strengthening of existing structures. For most applications, the effectiveness of the TRM reinforcement relies on its bond performance. This recommendation identifies the best practice to characterize the bond behaviour of TRM. A shear bond test method is proposed to determine the peak axial stress (associated with the maximum load that can be transferred from the structural member to the externally bonded TRM reinforcement), the stress–slip relationship and the failure mode that controls the TRM-to-substrate load transfer capacity. Guidelines on specimen manufacturing, experimental setup, test execution, and determination of test results are provided.     

Uranium isotopes in public drinking water and dose assessment for man in Poland

238U, 234U and 235U were determined in tap water from municipal water pipes that drew their supply from surface water or ground water in various locations in Poland. Average activity concentrations of 238U, 234U and 235U in tap water from surface water were 9.6 +/- 7.1, 12.8 +/- 9.7 and 0.41 +/- 0.31 Bq m(-3), respectively, whereas from ground water they were 4.5 +/- 6.0, 5.7 +/- 6.9 and 0.19 +/- 0.27 Bq m(-3), respectively. Activity concentrations of 234U were higher than 238U. Ratios of 234U/238U ranged from 1.07 to 2.60, indicating the lack of equilibrium between these isotopes. The average 235U/238U ratio was 0.043 +/- 0.008, being close to 0.046 for natural uranium. Average annual intake with water and food was 7.6 +/- 5.1 Bq for 238U and 9.5 +/- 6.6 Bq for 234U. Annual committed effective doses calculated from these intakes for adults were 0.34 +/- 0.23 and 0.47 +/- 0.32 microSv, respectively; 235U contributed to the total dose from the uranium isotopes by about 2%.